Jewelry box with a secret compartment



Aug'.` 14, 1951 E. v. MELE JEWELRY BOX WITH A SECRET COMPARTMENT Filed Aug. 1'7, 1948 ATTORNEY IIIIII,

l.. I I I I I i 'atentecl ug. 14,1951:

fr `euries ARTMENT N VY., a'corporationY miniemen-August 17, 194s;-seiarntaarmc 4 claims.' (o1.- 31atoko Tlii'sinventior-r'lats to receptacles andl more particularly toL receptacles" as boxes' for jev'velsY or other valuables.-

accordanee the presenti iria/entit'nl arid pursuant to one or lie objects thereof the receptacle is provided with a secret compartment which is located withini the't thereof.

Another object of the inventionisthe'provision of a receptacle having a bottom lining which also consttite sc'tc'dver for'thegs'ecret compartment with which the' receptacle is provided pursuant to theobject-oif` the-invention first nienti'oiied@ above.

A- further objectlc the invention isgenerally to' provide in a'- receptacle a secret compartment which is c-y simpleco'rs'trutionand highly effective for its purpose-.1A l

{Ihe above andother obe'cts; features'- 'and advantages of the-present-invention will be fully understood from the following description considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a perspective View of a jewel box or chest embodying the present invention, the box cover being in its open position;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. l the cover being closed; and

Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view, on a larger scale, on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the box I embodying the present invention is illustrated as of the type which includes a, receptacle body I2, a hinged cover I4 and a lift tray I6. The latter is pivotally connected in a well-known way to the body I2 and to the cover I4 by the links I8 and I9 respectively for movement from its retractedA position illustrated in Fig. 2, when the cover is closed, to the raised position illustrated in Fig. 1 when the cover is opened. In this respect boxes of this type are well-known and therefore this part of the box need not be further described.

Referring now more particularly to the body part I2 of the box, said body part comprises the front and rear side walls and 22, and the end side walls 24, as well as the usual bottom wall 2S. As is customary, the inner surface of the receptacle body is lined, usually with a lining which includes a fabric such as felt or plush.` The lining for the side walls is indicated at 28. The lining for the bottom of the receptacle is indicated at 30. It will be observed that lining 3U is disposed above the bottom 26 of the recepta- Y 2- cle body I2 andisis'umciently close to said bottom-26fso-asf to appear as'thefreal bottom of the box. Saidflin-ingi)` completely covers and con'- ceals a bottom walli'32r which is spaced from the bottom 2'6 and with? which` said bottom- 23de# nesa secret compartment:A Bottomwall 32- is formed of any suitable material and is provided with integral downwardly extending'r front and rear sidepcrtions 34 and 36 respectively and opposite side wall portions' 38-fsaid downturned portions 34' and: 361 abutting the innerv surfaces `ofl side wall's-2IIandL22l respectively andthe downturnedportions S-IlT abutting the innerI sur-faces of the adjacent'side walls 24;; Thus, bottom wall 32'; whichA formsv the topl of thef secret compartment is supported'in predetermined-spaced rela;- tionto bottomwa-ll-'-2il and may be fastened in-its saidAf predetermined` positionby adhesively or otherwise securing.` the downturned portions' 34, wand-38v tothe adjacent sidewall' portionsof the receptacle. V.

Wall 32 is provided with an opening 40 which is normally covered by lining 30. Said lining 30 is secured to the part of the lining 28 which covers the rear side wall 22, but is otherwise free for movement to a position in which opening 40 is uncovered for access to the secret compartment. More particularly, the rear end of lining 30 is preferably foldably connected to the lower edge of lining part 28A as indicated at 42 in Fig. 2. When one familiar with the construction of the box I0 desires to obtain access to the secret compartment located beneath the bottom wall 32, it is merely necessary to grip the front edge portion 44 of the lining and closure member 30 for raising the latter suiiciently to uncover the opening 4I) of said compartment. On the other hand when said lining and closure member 3D is in its normal position horizontally against bottom wall 32, the presence of the secret compartment is hidden from view and is not apparent to one unfamiliar with the construction of the box.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that various changes may be made therein without departing from the underlying idea and principles of the invention within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A receptacle of the character described, comprising a receptacle body having side walls and a bottom wall, a horizontal wall xedly disposed near but spaced from said bottom wall and forming a secret compartment, said spaced horizontal wall having an opening for access to said compartment, and linings ior said side walls and said horizontal wall, the lining for said side walls being fixed and the lining for said horizontal wall being free of securement thereto and movable from a normal position in which it substantially completely covers said horizontal wall to a position in which it is bodily removed therefrom to uncover said opening of the secret compartment, said last mentioned lining concealing the presence of said secret compartment.

2. A receptacle of the character described, comprising a receptacle body having side walls and a bottom wall, a horizontal wall xedly disposed near but spaced from said bottom wall and forming a secret compartment, said spaced horizontal wall having an opening for access to said compartment, and a movable closure member for said opening substantially completely overlying and concealing said spaced horizontal wall, said movable closure comprising a lining member for said horizontal wall and appearing to be a conventional lining of the bottom of the receptacle body, said lining member being free of securement to said horizontal wall and bodily removable therefrom for access to said opening.

3. A receptacle of the character described, comprising a receptacle body having side walls and a bottom wall, a horizontal wall xedly disposed near but spaced from said bottom wall and forming a secret compartment, said horizontal wall having end portions which are xedly secured to said side walls for supporting the horizontal wall in said spaced relation to said bottom Wall, said spaced horizontal wall having an opening for access to said compartment, and a movable closure member for said opening substantially completely overlying and concealing said spaced horizontal wall, said movable closure cornprising a flexible lining member for said horizontal wall and appearing to be a conventional lining of the bottom of the receptacle body, said lining member being free of securement to said horizontal wall and bodily removable therefrom for access to said opening.

4. A receptacle of the character described, comprising a receptacle body having side walls and a bottom wall, a horizontal wall fixedly disposed near but spaced from said bottom wall and forming a secret compartment, said horizontal wall having end portions which are xedly secured to said side walls for supporting the horizontal wall in said spaced relation to said bottom wall, said spaced horizontal wall having an opening for access to said compartment, and linings for said side walls and said horizontal wall, the lining for said side walls being xed and the lining for said horizontal wall being free of securement thereto and movable from a normal position in which it substantially completely covers said horizontal wall to a position in which it is bodily removed therefrom to uncover said opening of the secret compartment, said last mentioned lining concealing the presence of said secret compartment.

EDWARD V. MELE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the iile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 508,895 Meyers Nov. 14, 1893 694,676 Sewell Mar. 4, 1902 1,121,841 Irwin Dec. 22, 1914 1,664,441 Wehler Apr. 3, 1928 1,754,911 Sherwood et al Apr. 15, 1930 1,952,216 Owings Mar. 27, 1934 2,249,851 Pilliod et al July 22, 1941 2,362,017 May Nov. 7, 1944 

